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C. S. HIGGINS, J1;

. SHAFT-COUPLING. No. 355,267. Patented De0. 28, 1886.

WITN 555155 INVENTDR n PETERS, Pnnwumo n w. Washington. In;

I UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. HIGGINS, .13., or BROOKLYN, NEW roux, ASSIGNOR or oNE- HALF TO oHAELES S. HIGGINS, SE, or SAME PLAoE.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

$PECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 355,267, dated December 28, 1886. Application filed August 27, 1886. Serial No. 211,985. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs S. HIGGINS, J r., acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Couplings for shafting; and I do hereby declarethat the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings annexed to and forming part of the same, furnishes a full and clear description of the invention, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and operate the same.

Myinvention relates to devices for coupling and uncoupling sections of shafting employed for the transmission of power to machinery in mills, machine-shops, manufactories,and other like establishments. Its objects are to provide means by which one or more pieces may be separated from a line of shafting without disturbing the other parts of the line, and permit of one or more of several machines being stopped at any time without any interference with the course of the engine with the working of the other machines actuated by the revolution of said shafting, with any other machines, or any other line of shafting. These objects I secure by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of aline of shafting in two pieces, a portion of each of the latter and of my improved coupling device being also shown in section. Fig. 2 is 'a vertical section of thebox or chamber of said coupling device and of the shafting, the keyway in the same, and the coupling-key. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the coupling-key.

In said drawings, A is the ceiling of the mill, maehineshop, ormanufactory. B B are elongated rigid hangers, bolted to said ceiling and supporting one section of the line of shafting. 0 G are short rigid hangers, bolted to said ceiling and provided with sockets D D.

E is a rod running parallel with Said ceiling in the hangers G G, its ends being secured in the sockets D D by the nuts F F. G is another short rigid hanger bolted to said ceiling.

H H are grooved wheels resting upon the rod E, the axles of said wheels supporting short'rigid hangers I I, from which is suspended the adjustable hanger J;

K is a circular box or chamber in the lower part of the hanger J, for the reception of the other section of the line of shafting, and also the coupling-key.

L is a line of shafting in two sections, one being supported by the hangers B B and the other by the hanger J.

M M are sleeves which encircle the adjacent ends of the two sections of the line of shafting L, being held in place thereon by the pins N N, and being recessed to receive the coupling key.

O is an elongated coupling-key provided with an elbowsituated in the box or chamber K, fitting into the keyway in the shafting L, and adapted to be moved back and forth in said keyway, and to be revolved with said shafting in the box or chamber K.

P and P are openings on either side of the box or chamber Kto permit of the passage of the shafting and coupling-key.

R is an arm pivoted to thehanger J at a, and to the lever T at b.

Sis an angular keyway in the shafting L, extending from a point at the left of the hanger J through the sleeve M into the sleeve M, in which keyway the coupling-key runs.

T is a hand-lever pivoted at c to the hanger G, having the arm R pivoted to it at b, and provided at its lower extremity with a suitable handle, if desired.

Uis a belt wheel or pulleyon the shafting L. h

, Similar letters refer to corresponding parts in the severalviews.

Having constructed my improvement as described and shown, and having placed it in position with relation to the shafting, as shown in Fig. 1, said shafting presents an entire unbroken line, and as it revolves imparts motive power to all the machines connected with-it.

Whenever it is desired, for any reason, to uncouple and disconnect that portion of the line of shafting supported by the hanger J from that portion supported by the hangers B B, the lever T is pushed to the left, the arm B draws with it the hanger J, the latter as it passes to the left draws with it the couplingkey 0 along the keyway S and out of the sleeve M, until said lever, hanger, arm, and couplingkey are in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l. Said section of the shafting supported by the hanger J at once ceases to revolve, and the machine connected with it comes to a standstill, while the other portion of the shafting, supported by the hangers B B, continues its revolution, and the operation of the machine or machines connected with it is not interrupted. Said lever T being pushed to the right, the arm R moves with it the hanger J. The latter in its movement to the right carries with it the coupling-key O, causing the latter to pass along the keyway S into the sleeve M, as shown in Fig. 1. The two portions of the shafting are thus reconnected and revolve together as an entire line, and the machine which has been temporarily stopped resumes its operation.

The advantages which my invention possess are that it is simple in construction, easy of operation, readily applied to any systen or line of inflexible shai'ting, and at the same time serves as a support to said shafting.

In case any disarrangement of parts occurs to any machine operated by the shafting to which my improved coupling is applied, whereby injury is likely to ensue to the machine or the material in course of construction or being operated upon, my invention affords a prompt, effectual, and efficient means of avoiding and preventing the same by the ease with which the shafting may be disconnected and the machine brought to a standstill. It is particularly advantageous as a means of preventing accident and injury to the attendant of the machine, as the shafting can be instantly disconnected by the simple movement of the lever, as above described, bringing the machine to rest. It requires no skill whatever to operate I am aware that devices have been constructed by means of which pieces of a line of shafting have been connected by couplings, pins, and keys, and that the object of various of said devices was to enable a single piece to be taken out of a line of shafting without disturbing the other parts of the line. I do not claim as my invention any of such devices or any of them irrespective of their manner of application to the shafting; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The lever T, arm R, adjustable hanger J, provided with a box or chamber, K, and a coupling-key, O, in combination with a line of shaft-lug in sections provided with the recessed sleeves M and M, and angular keyway S, substanlially as described and shown, and forthe purposes specified.

2. The combination of hangers G 0, rod E, and adjustable hanger J, provided with arms .I I, grooved wheels H H, and a circular box or chamber, K, a removable coupling key, 0, fitting and moving in an angular keyway in the shafting, and said shafting provided. with sleeves M M, the hanger J and key 0 being CHAS. S. HIGGINS, JR

WVitnesses:

F. W. HANAFORD, JOHN J. MORGAN. 

